Miniature rose plant named ‘KORpedia’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct variety of rose with long lasting, novel white flowers, and attractive foliage with excellent disease resistance. It exhibits upright growth with abundant flowers. The new variety propagates well from cuttings and by grafting. This new and distinct variety has shown to be uniform and stable in the resulting generations from asexual propagation.

Latin name of genus and species: The botanical classification of the new rose plant is Rosa hybrida.

Variety denomination: The denomination of the new variety is ‘KORpedia’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The new variety of rose plant of the present invention originated from a controlled crossing in a breeding program of two distinct parents during the summer of 2002. The crossing was between ‘KORamgat’, a patented rose described and illustrated in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 15,612 issued on Mar. 1, 2005, and an un-named seedling.

The resulting seeds were planted during the following winter. The resulting seedlings were evaluated and exhibited distinctive physical and biological characteristics. The new rose plant was selected as a single plant from the seedling beds due to its superior characteristics and asexually propagated for further evaluation. This new and distinctive rose variety is named ‘KORpedia’.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The new rose plant may be distinguished from its seed parent, ‘KORamgat’ by the following combination of characteristics:

-   -   1. The flower color of ‘KORpedia’ is cream-white, while the         flower color of ‘KORamgat’ is yellow.     -   2. ‘KORpedia’ is moderately fragrant, while ‘KORamgat’ exhibits         little to no fragrance.

The new rose plant may be distinguished from its pollen parent, an un-named seedling by the following combination of characteristics:

-   -   1. The flower size of ‘KORpedia’ is large, while the flower size         of the un-named seedling is medium.     -   2. ‘KORpedia’ exhibits good resistance to mildew, while the         un-named seedling shows low resistance to mildew.

The objective of the hybridization was to create a new and distinct rose plant with unique qualities, such as:

-   -   1. Compact and uniform growth and flowering under greenhouse         conditions when grown as a potted floral plant;     -   2. Abundant, long lasting, and attractive flowers on upright         stems;     -   3. Resistance to diseases encountered in greenhouse and nursery         culture; and     -   4. Suitability for production from softwood cuttings in floral         and nursery containers.

This combination of qualities is not present in prior rose cultivars. These objectives have been substantially achieved and in that distinguish ‘KORpedia’ from all other varieties of which we are aware.

As part of a rose development program, Tim-Hermann Kordes germinated seeds from the aforementioned hybridization and conducted evaluations and observations on the resulting seedlings in a controlled environment in Offenseth-Sparrieshoop, Germany. The resulting resulting seedlings exhibited distinctive physical and biological characteristics. The new rose plant ‘KORpedia’ was selected in May, 2003 from the seedling beds to be asexually propagated for further evaluation. The first asexual propagation of ‘KORpedia’ was done by budding to seedling understocks in July, 2003 at the inventor's nursery in Offenseth-Sparrieshoop, Germany.

This initial and other subsequent propagations conducted in controlled environments demonstrate that ‘KORpedia’ reproduces true to type in successive generations of asexual reproduction.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING

The accompanying color illustration shows as true as is reasonably possible to obtain in color photographs of this type, the typical characteristics of the buds and flowers of ‘KORpedia’. Specifically illustrated is: a flower bud, partially opened bloom, open bloom, floral parts, and flower sepals.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The following is a description of ‘KORpedia’, as observed growing in July, 2007 in a greenhouse in Hamberg, Germany on plants of four months of age. Color references are made using The Royal Horticultural Society (London, England) Colour Chart, 2001 except where common terms of color are used.

For a comparison, several physical characteristics of the rose variety ‘KORkleiva’, a rose variety from the same inventor described and illustrated in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 11,232 and issued on Mar. 23, 1998 are compared to ‘KORpedia’ in Chart 1.

CHART 1 Characteristic ‘KORpedia’ ‘KORkleiva’ Diameter, open flower 60 mm 40-45 mm bloom Length of flower bud, 30 mm 19 mm upon opening Bud color, as sepals White Group 155B Orange-White Group 159C first unfold

-   Parents:     -   -   Seed parent.—‘KORamgat’.         -   Pollen parent.—An un-named seedling. -   Classification:     -   -   Botanical classification.—Rosa hybrida, ‘KORpedia’.         -   Commercial classification.—Miniature rose.

FLOWER AND FLOWER BUD

-   -   -   Blooming habit.—Continuous.         -   Flower bud.—Size: Upon opening, 30 mm in length from base of             receptacle to end of bud and 20 mm diameter at its widest             point. Bud form: Long and high-centered. Bud color: As             sepals first unfold, bud color is White Group 155B. When ¼             open, the upper surface of petals is Yellow Group Group 8D,             and the lower surface is White Group 157D. Guard petals with             intonations of Green Group 146D.         -   Sepals.—Size: Average 30 mm long×7 mm wide. Shape: Sepals             generally subulate. Sepal apex generally comes to a long             narrow point. Strong foliaceous appendages on three of the             five sepals. Base is flat at union with receptacle.             Quantity: Five. Margins: Limited to no stipitate glands on             margins. Surface texture: Inner side: Rough and grooved.             With fine white hairs. Outer side: Smooth. Color: Upper             surface: Green Group 146A. Lower surface: Green Group 146C.         -   Receptacle.—Surface: Smooth. Color: Yellow-Green Group 144B.             Shape: Urn shaped. Size: 7 mm (h)×8 mm (w).         -   Peduncle.—Surface: Smooth. Length: 20-35 mm average length.             Diameter: 4-6 mm average diameter. Color: Yellow-Green Group             146C. Strength: Strong. Borne: Singly.

-   Flower bloom:     -   -   Fragrance.—Moderate fruity fragrance.         -   Duration.—On the plant 20-22 days. Long lasting. Senesced             petals drop away cleanly.         -   Size.—Medium flowered pot rose. When open, the average             flower diameter is 60 mm and the average flower height is 35             mm.         -   Form.—Shape of flower when viewed from the side: Upon             opening, upper part: Flattened convex. Upon opening, lower             part: Flattened convex. Open flower, upper part: Flat. Open             flower, lower part: Flattened convex.

-   Color:     -   -   Upon opening, petals.—Outermost petals: Outer Side:             Green-White Group 157B with upper edges of margins             Yellow-Green 144D. Inner Side: Green-White Group 157B with             upper edges of margins Yellow-Green 144D. Innermost petals:             Outer Side: Yellow Group 4D. Inner Side: Yellow Group 2D.         -   Upon opening, basal petal spots.—Basal petal spot, outermost             petals: Outer Side: No distinctive coloration observed.             Inner Side: Yellow Group 2C. Basal petal spot, innermost             petals: Outer Side: No distinctive coloration observed.             Inner Side: Yellow Group 4B.         -   After opening, petals.—Outermost petals: Outer Side: Yellow             Group 4D. Inner Side: Yellow Group 2D. Innermost petals:             Outer Side: Yellow Group 4D. Inner Side: Yellow Group 2D.             After opening, no distinctive coloration at petal base             observed. Variegations: Intonations on the guard petals of             Green Group 143C.

-   General tonality: On open flower Yellow Group 2D. No change in the     general tonality at the end of the 6th day. Afterwards, general     tonality is Yellow-White Group 158B.

-   Petals:     -   -   Petal count.—Approximately 30-35 petals under normal             conditions.         -   Petal reflex.—Petals reflex slightly.         -   Petal edge.—Ruffled.         -   Petal shape.—Round. Apex shape is pointed. Shape of base is             rounded.         -   Petal size.—30-35 mm long; 25-35 mm wide.         -   Thickness.—Thick.         -   Petal arrangement.—Generally in a regular pattern with             overlapping edges.

-   Petaloids: Present.     -   -   Petaloid count.—Average of 6-8 per flower.         -   Petaloid edge.—Smooth.         -   Petaloid texture.—Wrinkled.         -   Petaloid shape.—Obovate. Base: Comes to a point. Acute.             Apex: Rounded. Entire.         -   Petal size.—Petaloids are 10-15 mm long and 6-8 mm wide.         -   Petaloid color.—Color of inner side is Yellow Group 4D.             Color of outer side is Yellow Group 4D.

-   Reproductive organs:     -   -   Pistils.—Approximately 90 present. Stigmas: Location: At             same position as anthers. Color: Green-Yellow Group 1D.             Styles: Length: 5 mm long. Color: Green-Yellow 1D.         -   Stamens.—Approximately 110-120 on average and regularly             arranged. Anthers: Size: 2.5-3.0 mm long. Color:             Yellow-Orange Group 20A. Pollen: Absent. Filaments: Color:             Yellow Group 12B. Length: 5 mm.

THE PLANT

-   -   -   Plant growth.—Moderately vigorous. Upright to bushy. When             grown as a 15 cm container plant, the average height of the             plant itself is 22 cm and the average width is 18-20 cm.             When grown from rooted cuttings, the instant plant roots             readily in less than 14 days.         -   Stems.—Stem color: Young wood: Green Group 138A. Older wood:             Green Group 138A. Stem surface: Young wood: Smooth. Older             wood: Smooth.         -   Prickles.—Present. Incidence: Few. 3-4 per 10 cm of stem.             Size: Average length: 4 mm. Color: Immature prickles:             Greyed-Yellow Group 162D. Mature prickles: Greyed-Purple             Group 185D. Senescing to Greyed-Orange Group 177A. Shape:             Linear. Anthocyanin: Limited on immature prickles. Color:             Greyed-Purple Group 185C.         -   Leaves and leaflets.—Normally 5 leaflets on normal leaves in             middle of the stem. Leaf size: 80 mm (1)×65 mm (w).             Quantity: Abundant. Texture: Upper side of leaflet: Matte             and smooth. Under side of leaflet: Matte and smooth. Color,             mature foliage: Upper Leaf Surface: Green Group 147A. Lower             Leaf Surface: Green Group 147B. Color, juvenile foliage:             Upper Leaf Surface: Green Group 147A. Lower Leaf Surface:             Green Group 147B. Anthocyanin intonation: Very limited.             Location: Intonations present on juvenile leaf margins,             petiole, rachis, and sepals. Color: Greyed-Purple Group             185B.         -   Stipules.—Size: 14 mm long. 6 mm between the tips of the             stipule. Main body of stipule 6 mm in width. Shape: Apex:             Longitudinally flanged or winged. Base: Inverted             semi-circle. Stipule color: Margins: Green Group 138A.             Center: Yellow-Green Group 145B. Anthocyanin intonations of             Greyed-Purple Group 184B. Presence of stipitate glands:             Limited amount present on margins. Margins: Serrated. With             limited stipitate glands.         -   Petiole.—Length: 8-10 mm. Diameter: 1.5 mm. Petiole color:             Green Group 144A. Faint anthocyanin intonations present on             juvenile tissue. Color: Greyed-Purple Group 184B.             Underneath: Smooth, with a few stipitate glands underneath             and an occasional prickle. Stipitate glands: Limited numbers             of stipitate glands on margins.         -   Petiole rachis.—Length: 12 mm. Diameter: 1.5 mm. Color:             Green Group 147A. Faint anthocyanin intonations present on             juvenile tissue. Color: Greyed-Purple Group 184B. Margins:             Smooth, with a few stipitate glands underneath. Prickles: A             few small prickles underneath. Stipitate glands: Limited             numbers of stipitate glands on margins.         -   Leaflets.—Size: Average size of the terminal leaflet is 45             mm (l)×25 mm (w). Shape: Ovate. Base: Ovate. Apex: Acute.             Margins: Serrated. Texture: Thick.

-   Hips/seed formation: None observed. Winter hardiness: To date, the     variety has been grown successfully in Zone 7.

-   Disease resistance: Excellent resistance to powdery mildew and     Botrytis under normal greenhouse growing conditions. 

1. A new and distinct variety of rose plant characterized by the following combination of characteristics: (a) Forms attractive, long lasting white flowers; (b) Exhibits upright growth habit; (c) Propagates well using traditional methods, and; (d) Exhibits excellent resistance to disease under normal growing conditions, substantially as herein illustrated and described. 